Volunteering to Boost Emotional and Physical Health
Elder Care Arlington VA
You know that staying active in your elderly care efforts is an important part of keeping your seniors healthy, but being active does not mean that you have to always participate in a structured exercise program or be thinking in terms of calories burned or muscles worked. Instead, focus some of your active elderly care goals on activity that nurtures their minds, bodies, and spirits for an overall improved quality of life. A truly exceptional way to do this is volunteering throughout the community.
Even seniors who are dealing with some physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, or mobility limitations and challenges can make a major difference in the community around them by taking some of their time to volunteer and help others.
There are many benefits to volunteering, especially for elderly adults, some of which are rather surprising. These include:
• Feeling like you have more time. It is not uncommon for seniors to feel like they do not have enough time and to be very aware that they have more of their lives behind them rather than in front of them. Studies have shown, however, that volunteering in organizations that matter to you actually makes you feel like you have more time. Surveys indicated that volunteering provides a sense of having more time even more effectively than having plenty of leisure time and spending their time on themselves.
• Greater sense of relevance. Seniors tend to feel a sense of irrelevance in the community and in the world around them because they have “aged out” of popular culture. By volunteering with and for those throughout the community they gain a greater sense of relevance that reduces depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation.
• Bridge the generation gap. Research has indicated that spending time with younger people has a dramatic benefit on seniors, who feel more refreshed, energetic, and willing to try new things. Spending time with their elders also has a meaningful impact on younger people, making them feel more secure, loved, and helping them to learn more. Volunteering, whether it is alongside younger people or for the benefit of younger people, is a powerful way to bridge this generation gap and encourage your parents to spend more time with a wider variety of people. If possible, get your children involved in this activity for a particularly beneficial multigenerational care experience.
• Improve physical health. Many studies have shown that those who participate in volunteer opportunities actually enjoy improved physical health, including reduced risk of heart attack and lower blood pressure. Seniors who volunteer regularly are also more likely to be active and involved in regular physical activities such as standing for longer periods, walking, packing boxes, and lifting items. Even though these are seemingly minor activities and the lifting is lightweight, every bit of movement adds up to major physical benefits over a sedentary lifestyle.
• Greater sense of contribution. For many elderly adults, part of their depression and anxiety comes from a sense of not having accomplished anything recently or making any real contribution to the world around them. Volunteering allows them to feel that they have helped someone and make a difference in their community.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care services in Arlington, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_seniors_get_from_giving_back
http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2015/03/19/5-surprising-benefits-of-volunteering/#11575da07c76
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
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